Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi fighting games return with a sequel

^{Image: Bandai Namco Entertainment}

One of the most beloved Dragon Ball game franchises is about to make a comeback. 

Bandai Namco Entertainment popped up at the Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2023 event with a rather unexpected announcement: a new Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi game is in the works. The fighting game franchise has not seen a new entry in more than 15 years, since the release of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 in 2007. 

Here’s the game’s first announcement trailer:

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The Budokai Tenkaichi games are some of the most beloved videogames to come out of the Dragon Ball franchise bar none, mostly due to their over-the-top action and wide roster of playable characters. Dragon Ball as a franchise has changed quite a bit since the last Budokai Tenkaichi game was released however, so it will be interesting to see which characters make the roster and what forms they might take. 

Despite the positive fan reception of the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series, a new mainline game was never made after 2007’s Budokai Tenkaichi 3. The series did put out a few spin-offs for the PSP and Xbox Kinect specifically, but both were only loosely related to the mainline titles. 

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi games are unique from other Dragon Ball fighting games thanks to their use of an over-the-shoulder camera and large playable maps, allowing players to fully experience the power fantasy of zipping around an environment as Goku and launching fists at the enemy head-on. These games were less concerned about general gameplay balance and more concerned about making these characters feel as overpowered as they actually are. 

This untitled sequel will likely release on current and old-gen consoles and feature characters from the previous games, as well as forms and stages inspired by newer Dragon Ball stories. New content includes Planet Namek as a stage, and characters from Dragon Ball Super appearing as fighters. The trailer confirmed that Goku will be able to transform into his Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan form, but who knows what other forms we’ll see in the final game. No release date for the sequel has been announced.